In an electric machine, it may be required to circulate a coolant around the windings of the machine in order to remove heat resulting from the passage of an electric current therein. As the coolant circulates around the windings, heat is removed and the coolant is then sent through a heat exchanger before being recycled back to the windings.
Because of the usually complex internal configuration of electric machines, it may be difficult to circulate a coolant around winding end turns and obtain an optimum coolant distribution. Each winding end turn may comprise, for instance, a multitude of conductors. Depending on the design of the machine, the coolant tends to simply follow a path of least resistance outside the winding end turns and does not result in optimal cooling.
Therefore, room for improvements exists in the cooling of winding end turns in an electric machine.